Texas Transportation

After we pushed Congress to require to link the Motor Fuels tax rate to inflation in 1982, the combined Texas and Federal tax rates are:

1982-.09; 1983-.14; 1984-.19; 1985-.19; 1986-.21; 1987-.21; 1988-.22; 1989-.23; 1990-.27; 1991-.35; 1992-.36; 1993-.39; 1994-.40; 1995-.41; 1995-.42; 1996-.43; 1997-.44; 1998-.44; 1999-.45; 2000-.46; 2001-.48; 2003-.50; 2004-.52; 2005-.53; 2006-.55; 2007-.56; 2008-.59; 2009-.59; 2010-.59; 2011-.61; 2012-.63; 2013-.63; 2014-.64; 2015-.65; 2016-.65; 2017-.67; 2018-.68; 2019-.70; 2020-.70; 2021-.74; 2022-.79; 2023-.83

This is unlikely to impact either the regulated cost of fuel or the stock market impact on fuel after deregulation, so it will not affect the cost to customers (cuts into fuel company profits instead) or fuel usage.

These amounts were also linked to our push to prevent the earmarks in transportation bills from starting in 1982 in my original life, with an active ban on making specific earmarks; instead, it will direct the states to regulate the formulas that determine their discretionary funding. We also encouraged most new infrastructure to use tolls as the primary form of financing.

In 1983, we got Texas to increase the maximum sales tax to 10% with a 1% allocation required to be utilized for public transportation. This causes the entire NCTCOG area to join DART, increasing the availability of federal funds to match local funding and using tax and ridership funds to expand much quicker. Then, we also push Congress to nationalize and standardize railroad tracks. As well as mandating that abandoned rails are state-controlled property to be utilized for rail, trail, utilities, and roads.

Nationally, we also pushed for the nationalization of tracks, with rail companies paying tolls for track usage. We had the federal government allow state controls over the tracks and encouraged them to create bonds for each priority to be recycled back by the tolls charged. Since the nation owns the tracks, the FRA can prevent excessive labor cuts when the rail companies begin to push for minimizing labor. This freed the funds to push for multi-modal transportation to prioritize long-distance sea and rail transportation and allowed trucking to be used for first- and last-mile shipping instead.

We also had states create revolving annual bonds to fund maintenance, heavy rail (286,000 pounds), grade separation, and double tracking of all of the possible rail lines, and grade separation in this priority order for each line, all with a priority on the most used lines first. These bonds are repaid by tolls charged on the rail lines. We also need Congress to mandate that abandoned rail lines be taken back into state control for transportation, utility, and trail and rail purposes. They would have done that 5 years later.

We then pushed DART to use Bus Rapid Transit around the eventual rail locations and connect between those locations to accustom the residents to where transit will be. Then, focus on high-traffic corridors before relegating the rest to on-demand services. The remaining funding from DART was also allocated to HOV (high occupancy vehicle) lanes.

In 1985, we pushed for regional toll agencies to be utilized for most new highway lanes, with tolling being removed from lanes when paid back. We have already linked the gas tax to inflation, so it is enough for most of the maintenance of lanes and the interchanges and grade separations needed for a smoother flow of traffic. Tolls will be blocked on service roads and pre-existing lanes but will become managed lanes with AI in the future. We also gave all the project data i could find on their projects to help them speed up their planning process.

In 1986, construction on the initial red and blue lines (4 years early). With the increased political support and bond support for toll roads and their agencies, the NTTA finished the expansion to Dallas North Tollway north to Briargrove Lane and started the next expansion. (1 year early)

In 1987, we pushed for the Dallas Inland Port to use trains to move freight to Dallas to sort and manufacture in south Dallas. This addressed the capacity for cargo in the Houston port and helped lower unemployment in Dallas. Finally, the Dallas City Council worked with airlines to repeal the Wright amendment to Dallas Love Field with the 20-gate limitation. We also donated to TXDOT to buy the right of way for the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge.

In 1988, we cooperated with TXDOT, the original donors, and the City of Dallas's bond to fund the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge. This allowed a former vehicular road for the trolley/pedestrian bridge instead.

In 1990, the NTTA finished the expansion to the Dallas North Tollway north to the Sam Rayburn Tollway (SRT) in Plano and started the next expansion. (4 years early) They also finished the Addison Airport Toll Tunnel (AATT). (9 years earlier) The Sam Rayburn Tollway was completed between Business 121 near the Dallas/Denton county line and US 75 in Collin County. (21 years earlier)

In 1991, the initial stops on the Red and Blue lines opened (5 years early). The expansion on the Red and Blue lines into Richardson, Plano, and Garland started as soon as the initial segment was completed. We planned on using the low-level sLRV vehicles to start with, so that saved us from needing the 3 years to adjust tracks and stations to the current standard. The NTTA expanded the Dallas North Tollway further north to Gaylord Parkway in Frisco. (13 years early)

In 1992, The initial segment of the TRE opened, and we started donating excess funds to upgrade rail lines in Texas. We were aiming for a minimum of all high-traffic areas being double-tracked and to begin moving towards grade separation radiating from Dallas first. The NTTA finished the first section of the President George Bush Turnpike (PGBT) between Midway Road and Preston Road. (6 years early)

In 1993, most of the Red and Blue lines finished construction (11 years early). We sent all of the TxDOT's Statewide Planning Map variations from my original time to let them narrow their project lists to only the successful ones. This and their increased funding led to the 2023 map from the original timeline produced in 2008. The NTTA finished the expansion to Dallas North Tollway to US 380 and started the next expansion. (14 years early)

In 1994, the Green Line opened (16 years early), and we contributed to the Dallas Streetcar with DART, the city of Dallas, and NCTCOG. The first section is from Union Station to Methodist Hospital; the following year, it will expand from Methodist to Bishop Arts. This will finish the line over 20 years early. The remaining section will wait for the second downtown rail line (d2) since it will connect from Union Station back to the McKinney Avenue Trolley on a path close to the d2 line. The NTTA finished the subsequent expansion of the PGBT and closed the loop between Beltline Road in Irving and SH 78 in Garland. (11 years early)

In 1995, DART finished the UNT Dallas extension to the Blue Line and the Orange Line to DFW airport(19 years early). AMTRAK finished upgrading all the rails they use to the heavier weight rail and double tracking on all their current rail lines, financed by bonds on the freight tolls expected on their lines. DART also finished double-tracking the TRE lines. They also started building more hybrid rail lines: TEXRail, Silver Line, and A Train, all using electric diesel multiple units (DMU). The NTTA finished the expansion to Dallas North Tollway to FM 428 and started the next expansion. (29 years early)

In 1996, MATA finished the first expansion to the DART station at Cityplace (6 years early), and the City of Dallas completed the Convention Center Loop. DART then finished the extension to the Blue Line to UNT Dallas (27 years early) and then started a commuter line from the Red Line station at Westmoreland to Duncanville (Pink Line). Fort Worth and TXDOT used railroads, AMTRAK, and DART fees to complete the Tower 55 Multi-modal Improvement Project in Fort Worth. (18 years early) AMTRAK and DART agreed to accept tickets for each other on the TRE section, allowing TRE train schedules listed in the transfer agreements for AMTRAK, as well as TRE passengers being able to use the AMTRAK trains if they are scheduled as the next to leave/arrive. AMTRAK was also granted financing to build high-speed rail starting with Dallas-Houston to be completed in 2000. NTTA also started making Loop 9 in stages: from US 67 to I-35, to I-45, to US-175, and to I-20, the final stage to be completed in 2003.

In 1997, DART finished the TEXRail expansion from DFW airport through Grapevine to the downtown connection to the TRE (22 years early) and the A Train from the Trinity Mills (Green Line) station to Downtown Denton(16 years earlier). The second expansion to MATA was completed close to the DART station at St. Paul (18 years earlier). The Pink Line completed the Duncanville section and then expanded to Midlothian. The Red Line started the extension from Plano to McKinney by 1999. The NTTA finished developing the Dallas North Tollway to Grayson County line.

In 1998, MATA was linked to the Oakcliff Streetcar and St. Paul station. Construction on the Tan Line from Irving through North Carrollton, Frisco, and Prosper to Celina started. Then AMTRAK upgraded all the freight rails on the Dallas-Meridian, MS corridor to the heavier weight rail with double tracking to be financed by bonds on the freight tolls expected on their lines. The NTTA finished the subsequent expansion of the PGBT and advanced the loop between SH 183 and I-30. (11 years early)

In 1999, the A Train expanded to Downtown Carrollton(26 years early), and the D2 trunk line was completed in Downtown Dallas to relieve the bottleneck in the network hub (26+ years earlier). The Red Line expansion to McKinney was also completed. The Pink regional rail line started an expansion from Midlothian through Mansfield to Fort Worth Central Station. The NTTA finished the subsequent expansion of the PGBT and advanced the loop between SH 78 and I-30. (12 years early) The Lewisville Lake Toll Bridge (LLTB) was completed. (10 years earlier)

In 2000, the TEXRail from downtown Fort Worth TEXRail/TRE station to the Medical District and TCU was completed (25 years early), as well as the Cotton Belt (Silver Line) extension from DFW airport through the Downtown Carrollton station for the Green Line and terminating in Plano on the opposite side of the Red Line to also be completed(25 years early). Proposition 1, passed by Texas voters, is a constitutional amendment that directs a portion of the state's oil and gas production tax revenue to the State Highway Fund for non-tolled highway construction, maintenance, and rehabilitation projects.. (14 years early). AMTRAK also completed the Dallas-Houston high-speed rail.(24+ years early) The NTTA finished the Chisholm Trail Parkway (CTP). (14 years early)

In 2001, DART completed the final Silver Line extension on the Cotton Belt Railway from Plano to Wylie. The Pink commuter line connecting Dallas and Fort Worth to Midlothian was also completed. Then, the extension to the Green Line light rail between Buckner Blvd. and South Belt Line Road was started. Positive Train Control was added to all trains. AMTRAK was also granted financing to start building high-speed rail through Dallas-Waco-San Antonio to be completed in 2003. The NTTA finished the subsequent expansion of the PGBT and advanced the loop between I-30 and I-20. (11 years early)

In 2002, DART finished TEXRail's expansion to Tarleton State University(24 years early) and the Tan Line from Irving through Carrollton to Celina. Proposition 7 is a constitutional amendment passed by Texas voters that dedicates a portion of the state's general sales tax and motor vehicle sales tax revenues to the State Highway Fund for non-tolled highway construction, maintenance, and rehabilitation projects (13 years early). AMTRAK was also granted financing to start building high-speed rail from Austin to Houston, which was to be completed in 2006. The NTTA finished the extension 360 Tollway. (16 years early)

In 2003, AMTRAK completed the high-speed rail through Dallas-Waco-San Antonio. Then, it was granted financing to start building the high-speed rail from Fort Worth to Waco, which was to be completed in 2006. The extension to the Green Line light rail between Buckner Blvd. and South Belt Line Road was completed. The next extension to the light rail network from Lawnview station to Lawson Road (Teal line) was started. The NTTA finished the Loop 9 project. (27 years early)

In 2004, DART finished TEXRail's expansion to Cleburne. AMTRAK was granted financing to start building high-speed rail through San Antonio- Laredo and San Antonio- Brownsville to be completed in 2008.

In 2005, the expansion to the light rail network from Lawnview station to Lawson Road (Teal line) was completed.

In 2006, another commuter rail was started parallel to the Blue Line from downtown Dallas to Waxahachie.

In 2008, AMTRAK completed the high-speed rail through San Antonio- Laredo and San Antonio- Brownsville.

In 2009, AMTRAK was granted financing to start building high-speed rail through Laredo-Corpus Christi to be completed in 2011.

In 2011, AMTRAK completed the high-speed rail through Laredo-Corpus Christi.